


Lost and Found

by AdorkableAuthor



Category: Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Beaches, Lost Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-25 05:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13827708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdorkableAuthor/pseuds/AdorkableAuthor
Summary: Based on the prompt "Someone loses something on the beach, someone finds something on the beach"





	Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> Sup everyone! I know it's been a long time since I've posted. I've teased a lot of stuff on twitter, but this is the only piece ready to post at this time. I swear, I'm not done writing VM fanfiction and I have some crazy stuff planned. But, this piece was prompted to me by a friend and it just feels so good to finish something. It took a few days to do. It's not as good as other stuff I've done, but I'm proud of it still. Sometimes, you just need a little story. Hope you guys enjoy it.

Veronica waited in her car. She saw the two walking up the beach, laughing and joking around. Her ex, along with the only guy who cared to stick around, had obviously enjoyed their surfing trip. It was still morning, but she suspected he would be heading home soon. If her memory served, and habits remained, he would go have a late breakfast with his buddy. Something about a stack of pancakes being better after a killer session on the waves. She watched him pack up his bag, peel his impressive torso from the wetsuit and walk towards the cars. She had been lucky to spot his black Land Rover SUV in a spot next to the boardwalk. 

Their last meeting was pleasant enough. He ran into her at the grocery store a few years ago. After a few moments of awkward chitchat, it became clear that they wouldn't be the friends who kept in touch. Not because they didn't care enough, but probably because they cared too much. It hurt to be around him. And, since she considered herself pretty perceptive, she wanted to believe he was hurt too. It was tense and they both sort of slunk back to their lives. She couldn't speak to what he felt, but she felt the gaping hole in her heart he left behind.

She avoided him today because of the ache inside her. She really didn't want another awkward moment followed by emptiness. So, she watched as he and Dick packed up his car and rode off. She was sure neither had noticed her, but still waited a full two minutes before she got out of her car and walked down to the beach.

It was well into the morning hours, but the beach wasn't busy. Classes and work kept most of the population from enjoying the sand at this hour. It was still a little chilly on the beach, and Veronica hadn't planned on sunbathing anyway, so she left her hoodie on. 

The breeze was refreshing and mild. Tucking a band of hair behind her ear, she looked down as she walked towards the ocean. She saw footprints, knowing they were likely Logan's and Dick's. Without meaning to, she followed them to the remains of their camp from that morning. She knelt on the sand and tilted her chin upward, catching the sparkling endless pool of water before her. She let out a sigh before she rolled back and sat on the sand. Her hands idly played with the sand on either side of her, but one finger ran over something not made of sand or shell. She looked down to it, and saw the sparkle of the metal. She plucked the item from the sand and dusted the clinging sand off it. She turned it around in her hands and gasped softly when she noticed the words. “Free At Last” were etched into the gold colored metal. She was sure it was Logan's lighter. It was the item that brought them together when they clashed after Lilly's death in high school. She remembered the story of how his grandfather had it engraved and his mother left it behind for him before her suicide.

A small sliver of hope ran through Veronica as she thought about how this had to be a sign of reuniting. She didn't really believe in fate or destiny, but that hole in her heart was smaller than it had been in her car. Maybe she could take this to him and actually tell him that she missed him. She knew he never married and had no children. She would lie to anyone who asked, but she had been keeping tabs on him. In her defense, she let Mac share her life with him, should he ask. She didn't think he did, but it was her way of making it fair. She was sure he wouldn't think the same if he knew.

But, the more Veronica thought of a future with Logan, the more her heart sank. They were toxic to each other with so much pain and anguish in their teens caused by the other. They tried to move past it, to love one another, but their pasts wouldn't let them have a future. 

Letting out a soft, defeated sigh, Veronica slipped the lighter into her hoodie's pocket and stood. Logan deserved to have this memento of his mother returned, regardless of the possible outcomes involving her heart. She walked back to her car and slipped inside, ignoring the sand that followed her in. She started her car and drove towards a house she knew existed, but had never been invited to see. 

Parking just down the street, she watched the house. It reminded her of late night stakeouts in high school. She saw his car in the drive. The house wasn't gated, so she could walk right up the door and ring the bell and hand it over. But, she sat and watched. She knew, without a doubt, that it was fear of rejection that kept her in the car. Logically, she knew she would hand it over and he would be grateful she found it. But, it was the after that worried her. Having that moment of happiness would be a tease for the awkwardness that followed. Then, pain, suffering, heartbreak, toxicity, etc. She could always come back and set it in the mailbox under the cover of darkness. She could mail it to him with no return address, but she really didn't want to risk losing it and didn't give the shipping companies blind faith not to do that. 

She let out a puff of air, settling on the mailbox in darkness just as Logan rushed out of the house and into his car. He squealed his wheels and backed out before he passed her on the street. He looked upset, focused, and worried. 

Holding the lighter in her hand, she wondered if he discovered the missing link to his mother and was rushing off to search for it. A ping of guilt of not just getting out to give it back slipped in her brain and she growled at it.

“Fine. I'll do it. I'll give it back. He'll find it when he gets home.” She moved the car to his house and parked across the street. She turned it off, removed the keys and opened the door, all without breathing. She stepped out and closed the door softly. After looking both ways and finding it clear, she crossed and walked up to Logan's front door. She opened his mailbox next to his door and dropped the lighter inside. A piece of her chipped away as she did and she could only guess at it being hope. She let out a sigh and turned to walk back to her car.

But, before she got too far, the door opened. “You could have rang the bell.” 

Dick was in Logan's house. Veronica blinked before turning and looking up at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but she was shocked. She was a little mad at herself for not considering it as a possibility. “Dick.” It was almost a question.

“Oh. It's Roni.” Dick rolled his eyes. “Coming to stalk your ex? You are a little late. He just left.” 

Her lower lip sucked into her mouth and she gently nibbled on it. “Uh. I know. I saw him as I pulled up the street.” That wasn't even a complete lie. “I uh, I found something of his and thought he would want it back.” She gestured to the mailbox. “Make sure he gets it, ok?”

“Love letters, Roni?” Dick sighed but reached into the mailbox. “I'm going to have to throw these out. You are bad news and he-” He stopped and blinked before he pulled the lighter out of the mailbox. It still had a bit of sand on it. “He's freaking out because he lost this and you had it?”

“I found it. Just a while ago. I was on the beach and came across it.” She gave a soft smile. “I remember what it meant to him and didn't think he left it on purpose.” She tilted her head a bit. “Just, give it to him. Ok?” She didn't wait for him to reply. She was willing to bet he wouldn't destroy the lighter. With a turn, she started to walk back to her car.

“Want me to tell him it was you?” Dick's voice was softer than normal. 

Veronica shook her head. “Doesn't matter. You can tell him you found it in the house if you want. I just want him to get it back.”

Dick didn't say anything else. By the time Veronica got to her car, he had slipped back into the house. It was done and Veronica still felt another sense of loss. Not that the lighter meant anything that important to her, but perhaps a loss connection. She did feel a sense of good, that feeling you get when you do something for someone else that doesn't benefit you at all. Not charity, because Logan would never accept charity, but just good. 

Veronica met up with Wallace for lunch and caught up with him. Love lives, pets, jobs, all the usual subjects were covered. She didn't mention the lighter or the near-miss on the beach. She was trying to forget it. She wasn't some grand hero and Logan wasn't the damsel in distress. She was doing a favor for a friend, a tiny favor for a barely there friend. 

After lunch, with the required amount of teasing towards her best friend, she headed home, her father's house with it's big porch and skinny driveway. She normally parked in front of the house, but as she got closer, she realized her spot was taken by a black Land Rover SUV, the very same she avoided a couple times already today. She pulled into the drive and noticed movement on the porch. She parked, just far enough in that the sidewalk was cleared. Peeking behind her shoulder, she half expected her visitor to pounce down at her. She chuckled at herself and gathered enough bravery to open the door again. She stood, slipping her bag on her shoulder and closed the door as she moved towards the porch. 

He stood at the top of the few stairs and looked down at her. She thought he always looked down or up at her, never considering himself her equal. His face was stoic as he gave a little nod. “Veronica.”

She tried her best to keep emotion from her face. Her pounding heart was distracting her, though. “Logan. To what do I owe this surprising visit?” She stepped up towards the porch. “I didn't think you even knew where my father lived.”

“Mac told me. She told me last week you would be visiting and warned me that it could be possible that I might see you around town.” He didn't even bat a lash with the admission.

Veronica tried to let it slip off her like teflon. “Is that so?” She was shocked that he cared enough to know.

“Yea.” He looked down at her. “I'm told I missed you dropping by, so I thought I try to catch you.”

Once on the porch, she stopped. She didn't lift her head. “I was sure Dick wouldn't say it was me.”

“He didn't, at first.” Logan's voice softened. “You returned something I certainly didn't mean to lose.” He reached out and gently slipped his finger in her hand. “I wanted to return the favor.”

Confused, she looked up into those warm brown pools and tilted her head. “What did I lose?”

“Me.” He leaned forward and ever so softly pressed his lips on her forehead. “Well, to be honest, you ripped up my heart in front of me, but I never quite got it back after the whole, uh-” He paused a moment. “Let's call it the Hearst thing.” He smiled, sweet and up to no good.

She was grateful he didn't use Madison's name, or Mercer's or Piz, for that matter. He probably chose the best name possible without actually naming the mistakes involved with their time at the college. But, she was thinking of the small bit of the huge bomb she dropped on her. The kiss doing it's own thing to soften the blast, but she was still shocked. “Um. One more time, Echolls.”

Logan smirked, that classic know-it-all smile that she grew to hate then love. “You aren't that dense, Veronica. You are what many call too smart for your own good. Don't play dumb.” His tone change from fun to pleading. “Please.”

Veronica watched him with big eyes and an ajar mouth. “I lost you.” She made it a statement, but it could easily have been a question.

“My mom's lighter is magical.” He reached into his pocket and pulled the lighter, freshly clean and polished, and held it between them. “Did you know that?”

She gave a little shake of the head. 

He grinned, almost innocently, but probably as close as he could get to child-like. “I held this before you when she died and it brought us together.” He looked at it. “It did something to us, repaired our hearts from Lilly's death, a year of hate and confusion.”

Veronica had no words. She could probably come up with some snark, but she didn't want this moment to end. She felt hope and love from him and didn't want to ruin that.

“Today, I got home from the beach and checked my bag for it. My keys were still in there, even some cash, but the lighter was gone. I just knew it slipped out onto the beach. I was so upset at myself for even taking it with me today. I've just been missing my mom a lot lately, well, missing a few women from my life lately.” He gave her a sweet smile. “I feel her when I look at this lighter. I feel closer to her.” He cleared his throat. “I checked where Dick and I put our stuff. I was frantic until Dick called and told me he found it.”

Veronica gave a small smile.

“I get home, get the lighter in my hand, and ask him where it was. I expected it to be on a dresser or in a shoe in the closet. Some place that it would have fallen in and hidden away. But, Dick tells me that my ex just dropped it off. He said that she was going to slip it into the mailbox and run away.” He chuckled a bit. “That's when I knew which ex. A couple of my exes know how much this lighter means to me, but only one would put it above an appreciative call to thank them. Only one would tell Dick not to bother to say who it was.” He took both of her hands in his. “Only one would wait for me to drive off to come to the house.”

Veronica looked down at his hands holding hers. She lifted her chin and looked up at him. “I didn't want another awkward meeting. The last one nearly broke me.”

Logan sighed out and nodded. “Me too.” He stepped closer. “I've had a really emotional day, Mars, but, if it's alright with you, I'm going to kiss you.” His hand went to her cheek and caressed it gently with his thumb.

Veronica nodded and gave a shy smile. “Not if I don't kiss you first.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've had a lot of self-doubt and anxiety issues lately. I've been blocked and lacking the drive to write. I hope you like this enough to leave Kudos and comments. Reassurance helps. (You are allowed to hate it and to tell me so, but warning, it will make me cry.) 
> 
> As always, feel free to email me: adorkableauthor@gmail.com  
> or tweet me: @adorkablewriter
> 
> I hope to have more new stuff sooner than three months.


End file.
